The Spanish ace, who attended yesterday's Hillsborough Memorial Service at Anfield, is scheduled to fly to Spain today to see Dr Ramon Cugat for further tests. Torres, 26, missed six weeks after needing an operation on torn cartilage in his right knee in January and he has been playing through the pain barrier in recent weeks.

The same joint has been causing him severe discomfort but scans to diagnose the exact problem have so far been inconclusive.

Liverpool fear the Spanish ace needs to go under the knife yet again, which would prevent him from playing again this season.

Torres would miss an emotional return to former club Atletico Madrid in the Europa League, as well as the final four games in the Premier League.

Liverpool's hopes of clinching a Champions League place would suffer if they were forced to face West Ham, Burnley, Chelsea and Hull without a player who has scored 18 Premier goals in just 20 starts this season.